"The fragmentation of Android is very real and very problematic for end users, developers, mobile operators, device manufacturers, and Google. However fragmentation does not mean Android is going to 'die' or 'fail' as some seem to think. On the contrary I think we can count on Android playing a significant role in our world for a long, long time. I also am confident that Google has already lost control of Android and has zero chance of regaining control. This post explains why I'm so confident about this."

Despite all your hand-waving about how easy it is, it's never gotten past square one. Especially embarrassing for a free (as in beer) set of offerings. This strongly suggests that there are some problems. Among them are the fragmentation issues I've mentioned. (Horizontally, between extant distros, and temporally, between successive versions.) A disregard of the user experience. (Something else is always "even more important" in key areas.) And a stubborn refusal by members of the perpetually tiny Linux Desktop community to even admit that there is a problem.